TEA PARTY PATRIOTS:
Has the GOP Lost Its Budget Soul? (Interview with Jenny Beth Martin)
http://video.foxbusiness.com/v/4205023771001/neils-spiel-republicans-losing-their-budget-soul/#sp=show-clips
The Conservative Populist Breakout
“…Grassroots activists: the unsung heroes of the populist right: An absolutely crucial (in some ways, the most important) part of the emerging conservative populist coalition is the committed citizens who spend hours directly contacting their elected representatives. A large number of Republicans in Congress are on the fence on immigration and will listen carefully to their most determined constituents. Grassroots conservatives are joined together in groups like Schlafly’s Eagle Forum, Numbers USA, Heritage Action, and the Tea Party Patriots. It is not an exaggeration to report that in congressional district after congressional district, conservative activists are fighting Big Business lobbyists, not just for the future of the Republican party but, more significantly, for the future of the American constitutional regime as a whole…”
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/417690/conservative-populist-breakout-john-fonte
Bernie Sanders: Senate Presser Doesn’t Flout Ethics Rules
“…In 2014, the Tea Party Patriots filed a Senate Ethics Complaint against then-Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid alleging that he crossed the line into campaign activity by attacking conservative businessmen Charles and David Koch from the floor of the Senate…”
http://www.newsmax.com/Politics/Bernie-Sanders-Senate-press-conference/2015/04/30/id/641727/
HEALTHCARE:
ObamaCare boosts hospitals’ finances, study finds
“Medicaid expansion under ObamaCare is giving a lift to hospitals’ finances, a new study from the nonprofit Kaiser Family Foundation finds. The study finds hospitals’ charity care costs fell by 40 percent in states that expanded Medicaid, compared to just 6 percent in states that did not. As more people gained coverage through Medicaid, the need for charity care fell.
Hospital revenue from Medicaid increased 8 percent in expansion states, but actually declined in nonexpansion states, by 9 percent. “Expanded health insurance coverage through the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is having a major impact on many of the nation’s hospitals through increases in the demand for care, increased patient revenues, and lower uncompensated care costs for the uninsured,” the study finds. The report measured the changes by looking at Ascension Health, a nonprofit hospital chain that has locations in both expansion and nonexpansion states.”
http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/240612-obamacare-boosts-hospitals-finances-study-finds
ObamaCare’s Tax Shock Is Far Worse Than Predicted
“Health Reform: Providing still more evidence of how ObamaCare is “working,” most enrollees learned this year that they had to pay back a huge chunk of their insurance subsidies. So much for “affordability.” Back in January, H&R Block figured that about half of the 6.8 million people who were getting ObamaCare subsidies would owe some of the money back. Another expert reckoned the average payback at $208. That was enough to set off alarms about the “unpleasant tax surprise” these millions would face. The tax experts were too optimistic, however. H&R Block now figures that two-thirds of ObamaCare enrollees who got subsidies had to pay at least some of it back. And the average payback was $729. So roughly 5.5 million ObamaCare enrollees had to return, on average, almost a quarter of their premium subsidies. Given that these subsidies are available only to families with modest incomes, that’s got to hurt.
(H&R Block also found that a quarter of ObamaCare enrollees got an average of $425 in additional tax credits for last year.) Why all the subsidy mistakes? Because ObamaCare uses a Rube Goldberg subsidy scheme that requires enrollees to predict next year’s income. If they guess too low, their insurance subsidies will be too high. Overestimate their income and the subsidies will be too low. H&R Block also found that the average penalty paid by the uninsured last year was $178. That no doubt was also a surprise to many who thought it would be just $95.
In addition, the vast majority of filers who claimed an exemption from the individual mandate penalty picked from a list of exemptions that didn’t require verification from their local ObamaCare exchange. Unfortunately, H&R Block didn’t break down what share of the uninsured claimed an exemption instead of paying the fine. That would provide a good insight into the effectiveness of the individual mandate. But it did say more taxpayers are likely to seek those exemptions next year when filing their 2015 income taxes, since the penalty for not buying government-approved insurance goes up sharply this year. If ObamaCare’s popularity doesn’t climb much this year, it’s a good bet these unpleasant tax surprises are part of the reason….”
http://news.investors.com/ibd-editorials-obama-care/042815-750045-most-obamacare-enrollees-have-to-pay-some-of-their-subsidies-back.htm
Employers feel the effects of the Affordable Care Act
“Now that the Affordable Care Act is the law of the land, businesses across the country are having to make adjustments to follow federal law and mandates. For some businesses there has not been much change to their operations. For other businesses, the changes are being felt.
“In anticipation of 2014 Affordable Care Act Requirements,” City of Dodge City Human Resources director Barb Slagle said, the City of Dodge City in October 2013 changed their policy of how they define regular part-time workers.” The policy of part-time workers at the time was defined as someone working 20-39 hours per week. “Due to requirements of the ACA,” said Slagle, “the city changed the definition of regular part-time to be split into two categories instead of one: Regular Part-Time I; a person working 20-29 hours weekly – are employees appointed for an unspecified duration to a position which requires regular attendance for a minimum of 20 working hours within a 7-day pay period but less than 30 working hours for a 7-day pay period. “Employment under this type of appointment is eligible for single health and dental, along with a pro-rated benefit package according to the number of hours worked.
“Regular Part-Time II; a person working over 30 hours weekly – employees appointed for an unspecified duration to a position which requires regular attendance for a minimum of 30 hours within a 7-day pay period but less than 40 hours for a 7-day pay period. “Employment under this type of appointment is eligible for family health and dental, along with a pro-rated benefit package according to the number of hours worked. “Regular full-time employees and regular part-time employees working over 30 hours weekly, along with their eligible dependents, may be enrolled in group life, medical and dental insurance with the City. Regular part-time employees working 20-29 hours weekly may be enrolled in single coverage in the same programs…”
http://www.dodgeglobe.com/article/20150429/NEWS/150429280/-1/sports
Obamacare Exchanges Attracting Younger Customers, Insurers Say
“As health insurance companies tally up the second year of enrollment of individuals from public exchanges under the Affordable Care Act, they are noticing younger customers that tend to submit fewer medical claims. Several insurance companies, including Aetna AET -0.28% (AET) and Anthem (ANTM), this week during their first quarter earnings calls said those purchasing subsidized coverage may have been younger than last year. That could be a good sign for health plan profits and next year’s rate increases for everybody buying coverage on government exchanges. Some analysts say younger people are being coaxed into buying coverage since penalties jumped significantly to $325 per adult or 2% of income this year compared to $95 per adult or 1% of income for those who went without coverage last year. Having younger individuals buying coverage is generally a good thing. Insurance risk pools need younger people and the premiums they and the government are paying for helping cover the costs of older, sicker people who can trigger spikes in costs. The silver-tiered plans, which are the second-lowest priced category, have been the most popular since products were first offered last year on exchanges. Plans are ranked from most expensive with the richest benefit packages from platinum and gold to silver and, finally, to bronze. However, more of these new customers might also tend to be buying skimpier bronze plans. And that could keep profits for health insurance companies selling products on government exchanges low. “Our population has gone a little younger and it’s more bronze than we had originally forecast,” Aetna chief financial officer Shawn Guertin said of the lowest price bronze plans. Anthem, too, said the volume of its growth of new customers purchasing on exchanges was lower than anticipated but it still grew by 191,000 to 898,000 as of the end of the first quarter. “We believe our exchange strategy is playing out well overall, and our early read is that the demographics of exchange lives appear slightly younger than last year’s population,” Anthem president and chief executive officer Joseph Swedish told analysts…”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/brucejapsen/2015/04/30/obamacare-exchanges-attracting-younger-customers-insurers-say/
Assurant selling or closing health insurance division
“Assurant Inc. says it will sell or shut down its health insurance division that has struggled financially since the introduction of the federal Affordable Care Act. Assurant Health, headquartered in Milwaukee, is expected to report an operating loss of up to $90 million in the first quarter following a loss of $64 million last year. The company, which reported $2 billion in revenue last year, has sold health insurance to individuals in 41 states and on 16 marketplaces set up under the Affordable Care Act. It sold health plans to small employers in 34 states. The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (http://bit.ly/1OIQ8Xk ) says federal health care law negated one of Assurant Health’s strengths – determining which customers are the best risk. The law bars insurers from turning away customers because of pre-existing health conditions…”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/30/assurant-selling-or-closing-health-insurance-divis/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS
What Cloud Data Tells Us About The Affordable Care Act’s Impact
“The five years since the passage of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) have been marked by political recrimination and legal challenges. Proponents of the law claim the ACA provides essential coverage to millions of Americans at lower-than-expected cost. Opponents argue that the ACA imposes excessive requirements on individuals, businesses, and insurers while adding billions of dollars in new spending. This debate has been subject to ample speculation and invective, but short on data as to how the ACA is actually affecting the provision of care. At athenahealth , my team has been working with the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) to fill this deficit. Last year, we launched a nonpartisan research initiative to map the effects of the ACA on the day-to-day activities of community physicians. We are uniquely positioned to do this objectively because athenahealth is a cloud-based provider of health care software and services for 62,000 health care providers around the country. Data entered by our clients is incorporated into databases that we curate and analyze. This gives us a near real-time view into national physician practice patterns and an ideal platform to measure the impact of health care reform on the day to practice of medicine…”
http://www.forbes.com/sites/athenahealth/2015/04/30/what-cloud-data-tells-us-about-the-affordable-care-acts-impact/
Health Insurers Dodge Obamacare Birth Control, Cancer Screening Rules
http://www.newsweek.com/health-insurers-dodge-obamacare-birth-control-and-cancer-screening-standards-327320
New York Takes Money, Runs From ObamaCare Exchange
“If ObamaCare were working as well as supporters claim, would New York state have just decided to steer more than half of its subsidized exchange enrollees to a public managed-care plan? New York is the second state after Minnesota to adopt this option included in the 2010 health reform law to establish a Basic Health Program for households up to 200% of the poverty level. Following Minnesota is a curious move, considering that the MNsure exchange is among the worst performers. Minnesota has signed up just 22% of those eligible for exchange coverage, No. 48 among the states and barely half the national average of 42%, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. The MNsure exchange also ranks near the bottom in its share of young-adult enrollees (24.2%) and near the top in its share of adults age 55 and up (33%).
To top it off, PreferredOne quit the exchange despite being the dominant player in 2014, hardly a vote of confidence in its future prospects…”
http://news.investors.com/Politics-ObamaCare/043015-750403-new-york-adopts-basic-health-plan-undercuts-obamacare-exchange.htm
Fla. AG says Obama is coercing the state to expand Medicaid
“President Barack Obama is coercing Florida into expanding Medicaid, according to a new lawsuit filed by Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi on Tuesday. Bondi announced she had filed the complaint in U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Florida, and claimed the coercion came from the federal government withholding Low Income Pool healthcare funding. Bondi filed the suit on behalf of Gov. Rick Scott, the State of Florida and the Florida Agency for Health Care Administration. “The federal government is trying to do precisely what the U.S. Supreme Court held that the Constitution prohibits it from doing—forcing states to expand Medicaid by threatening to cut off funding for unrelated programs,” Bondi said. “The president, once again, is overstepping his authority, this time by trying to force Florida to expand Medicaid through the Affordable Care Act.” Bondi said the state has received LIP funding from the federal government for nearly 10 years, and believes Obama is using the funding “as a bargaining chip to force the taxpayers of Florida to accept the Medicaid expansion.” Adding the move is both wrong and unconstitutional, she says. “We will not tolerate this blatant abuse of power by the federal government,” Bondi said. “Whether to expand Medicaid is a policy decision for Florida, and the decision should ultimately be made by Floridians, through their elected state officials, not by the federal government through force and coercion.”
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/fla.-ag-says-obama-is-coercing-the-state-to-expand-medicaid/article/feed/2176042?custom_click=rss
Florida has its ‘Keep the government out of Obamacare’ moment
“Way back in August 2009, the estimable Tim Noah took note of an annoying trend among far-right activists: “ ‘Keep your government hands off my Medicare.’ It was funny the first two or three times this angry citizen’s cry against health reform got repeated … but the joke is starting to wear thin.” Periodically, some have wondered when we might reach a “Keep your government hands off my Obamacare” moment, and today in Florida, it seems that time is upon us – or at least, it’s awfully close. The Republican-run state government in Florida has found itself in a terrible mess lately, and divisions among GOP policymakers over the Affordable Care Act have gotten a little ugly. As we talked about yesterday, the Republican-run state Senate wants to accept Medicaid expansion, bolster state finances, extend coverage to 850,000 low-income Floridians, and clear the way for another tax cut. The Republican-run state House, meanwhile, wants to oppose “Obamacare” because, well, it’s “Obamacare.” Today, Gov. Rick Scott (R) issued a press statement, sketching out his opposition to Medicaid expansion. Most of the statement is filled with boilerplate rhetoric, but Charles Gaba flagged the fun part:
“Putting the cart before the horse by trying to grab the limited-one-time-only offer of so-called ‘free’ money from Obamacare, on the other hand, will cost Florida taxpayers at least $5 billion over 10 years and could eventually result in the state having to raise taxes to afford the growth of government. Expanding Obamacare in Florida would also further tie us to a federal government that has already walked away from our Low Income Pool healthcare program. “The proposed Obamacare expansion plan would also force Floridians who currently have private insurance on the federal exchange into the government-run Medicaid program – causing them to lose the plans they liked and were told they could keep, practically overnight.” [emphasis added] It’s that part in bold that arguably matters most…”
http://www.msnbc.com/rachel-maddow-show/florida-has-its-keep-the-government-out-obamacare-moment
Medicare Releases Detailed Look at Prescription-Drug Spending
Data for 2013 show that the top 100 drugs represent nearly 60% of total spending
“U.S. officials on Thursday released detailed spending data from the Medicare prescription-drug program, which provides benefits to roughly 36 million elderly and disabled Americans and has been a boon to the pharmaceutical industry since it began in 2006. The data, which cover prescription-drug claims for 2013, showed that out of nearly 3,500 drugs that were prescribed that year, the top 100 drugs by total cost represented nearly 60% of total spending. The largest drug expenditure in 2013 was for Nexium, a treatment for…”
http://www.wsj.com/articles/medicare-releases-detailed-look-at-prescription-drug-spending-1430426438
An Obamacare debate worth having
“Repeal is not enough. Five years later, that much should be clear. The law’s ill effects — higher premiums, cancelled health plans, bureaucratic ensnarements for doctor and patient alike — have all been well documented. This spring, the American people also got to know for the first time how Obamacare has complicated the tax code — raising taxes for many, and causing confusion and headaches for everyone. But it’s long past time for the American people to get to know what conservatives would do in Obamacare’s stead. Our healthcare system did face a major threat before President Obama took office — rising costs that threaten to overwhelm middle-class families, and the federal budget as well. But while candidate Obama promised in 2008 to tackle costs, and lower premiums by $2,500 for the typical family, President Obama instead focused on expanding government-run health coverage, and missing the mark on his premium promise by over $1 trillion. So yes, by all means, let’s ask the question: “Obamacare — when have you stood up and fought against it?” But anyone who wants to ask that question should have a detailed answer to this one: “Obamacare — what would you do instead?” Because it’s not particularly courageous for conservatives simply to oppose a law that remains deeply unpopular with voters. We must tell people what we are for, and let the American people know exactly what we will do, and how we will do it…”
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/an-obamacare-debate-worth-having/article/2563814?custom_click=rss
Jindal tells candidates: Let’s see your ObamaCare replacement plans
“Louisiana Gov. Bobby Jindal on Thursday said he is “surprised” that he is the only 2016 Republican hopeful who has detailed his plans for replacing ObamaCare. “I will tell anyone thinking about running for president, you need to have your own detailed plan about how to replace ObamaCare,” Jindal said at a D.C. panel hosted by The Washington Examiner. “To my knowledge, I’m the only candidate — or potential candidate — that’s actually offered a detailed plan,” he said. Jindal delivered remarks shortly after publishing an op-ed, in which he challenged several 2016 frontrunners for lacking details about how they would replace the law…”
http://thehill.com/policy/healthcare/240663-jindal-tells-2016-ers-lets-see-your-obamacare-replacement-plans
GOP warms to Obamacare — if Americans work for it
More red states are open to Medicaid expansion, but only if it’s tied to employment.
“In nearly a dozen Republican-dominated states, either the governor or conservative legislators are seeking to add work requirements to Obamacare Medicaid expansion, much like an earlier generation pushed for welfare to work. The move presents a politically acceptable way for conservative states to accept the billions of federal dollars available under Obamacare, bringing health care coverage to millions of low-income people. But to the Obama administration, a work requirement is a non-starter, an unacceptable ideological shift in the 50-year-old Medicaid program and a break with the Affordable Care Act’s mission of expanding health care coverage to all Americans. The Health and Human Services Department has rejected all requests by states to tie Medicaid to work. But the idea is catching fire among Republicans —and may well resonate on the presidential campaign trail in 2016…”
http://www.politico.com/story/2015/04/obamacare-republicans-work-requirements-117486.html
Vitter, others, debate what happens if Supreme Court invalidates Obamacare subsidies in Louisiana
“What will happen if the Supreme Court decides that residents in 34 states — such as Louisiana — that didn’t set up their own Affordable Care Act marketplaces can’t continue to get subsidies drew sharply different answers Wednesday (April 29) from supporters and opponents of the law. The forum for the “debate” was a hearing by the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee, and the panel’s chairman, Sen. David Vitter, R-La., left no doubt about his view. A ruling in favor of those challenging the subsidies in the 34 states, Vitter said, could lead to creation of a “more consumer-driven” system, which fosters “competition among health care providers that will improve quality and lower costs.” But Linda Blumberg, senior fellow at the liberal Urban Institute, said the consequences of the ruling against the Obama administration that Vitter and other opponents of the law are hoping for would be disastrous. “The number of uninsured in these states would increase by a total of 8.2 million people in 2016,” Blumberg said. Particularly hard hit, she said, would be Americans with health problems — i.e. pre-existing conditions — who would find their premiums skyrocket so high as to make them unaffordable…”
http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2015/04/vitter_others_debate_what_happ.html
GOP divided as Supreme Court ruling on health care law nears
“Sen. Ron Johnson was elected to Congress in 2010 as an adamant foe of President Barack Obama’s health care overhaul. Yet facing a Supreme Court decision that could disrupt how that law functions, the Wisconsin Republican is among many in the GOP who want Congress to react with caution. If the plaintiffs prevail in the Republican-supported case, the justices could annul federal subsidies helping around 7.7 million people afford coverage in more than 30 states. Republicans broadly agree that Congress should respond by temporarily replacing that aid, aware that abruptly ending it would anger millions of voters before next year’s presidential and congressional elections. “Neither politically nor practically can we end those” subsidies, said Johnson, who faces a potentially tough re-election next year. “So let’s just recognize those realities. Let’s set up the 2016 election as the contest, the discussion, the debate” over repealing the law. And while Republicans say they are dedicated to repealing the law, they remain divided over how to respond once the court rules. Johnson’s is among five GOP proposals — and counting — suggested so far, and none have won a consensus. “I think it needs to be part of the presidential campaign, and then the winner will be able to point to that as part of their mandate,” No. 2 Senate GOP leader John Cornyn of Texas said of replacing the health care law. Meanwhile, he said, “what we all need to do is unite around one approach, if that’s at all possible, and that’s been a challenge because there are competing good ideas out there.” The divisions underscore the challenge Republicans face between satisfying conservative supporters who want the law dismantled and providing help should millions lose their ability to afford coverage. But the sheer existence of the GOP proposals could help in court because it might suggest to the justices that despite Democrats’ claims that eliminating the subsidies would spark health insurance chaos, Congress is already working on ways to avoid that…”
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/gop-divided-supreme-court-ruling-health-care-law-nears
House panel issues subpoena in Philadelphia VA probe
“A House committee voted Thursday to issue a subpoena of the Department of Veterans Affairs for personnel and complaint files at its Philadelphia office, part of an expanding probe into mishandling of veterans’ disability and pensions claims. Rep. Jeff Miller, R-Fla., chairman of the House Veterans Affairs committee, said his panel has repeatedly asked for the information since last December with limited success from VA Secretary Robert McDonald and other officials as it digs into allegations of leadership misconduct and whistleblower retaliation. It was only the third time in the committee’s history that lawmakers resorted to a subpoena, a sign of continuing impatience with a department still struggling after last year’s health scandal involving the Phoenix VA medical center. The last time subpoenas were issued was last May, when the committee demanded documents in that Phoenix scandal relating to lengthy wait times and falsified records. “I have not come to this moment lightly,” Miller said. “There is no doubt that there are serious issues plaguing the operations of the Philadelphia regional office, and we can no longer afford to allow the VA to stonewall legitimate requests for information about that or about any other VA facility.” Miller said that after repeated requests the VA responded late Wednesday with three discs containing documents, but that they remained incomplete with large portions redacted. The motion for a subpoena was approved by voice vote with no objections. Rep. Corrine Brown, D-Fla., the top Democrat on the panel, did not attend because of a schedule conflict with another committee…”
http://cnsnews.com/news/article/house-panel-issues-subpoena-philadelphia-va-probe
IMMIGRATION:
DHS No. 2 regrets ‘perception’ of favoritism in visa cases
“Homeland Security Deputy Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas told lawmakers Thursday he regrets creating a perception of favoritism by getting involved in foreign investor visa cases involving prominent Democrats while head of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. But the department’s No. 2 official said that he stands by his decision to take part in the cases, telling lawmakers on the House Homeland Security Committee that he was involved in “more cases (visa) than I can count” to help ensure that the agency was doing its job. “I regret the perception my own involvement created,” Mayorkas told lawmakers. “I did my job and fulfilled my responsibility,” Mayorkas is testifying about a report from his agency’s inspector general that concluded he violated ethics rules when he intervened as head of USCIS in three foreign-investor visa cases involving prominent Democrats. Inspector General John Roth didn’t accuse Mayorkas of breaking the law when he intervened in the three cases that were part of the U.S. government’s investor-visa program, known as EB-5. But he said that Mayorkas violated agency rules that he drafted as head of USCIS. Thursday offered the first chance lawmakers have had to question Mayorkas about the 99-page report from March…”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/30/dhs-no-2-to-face-lawmakers-amid-allegations-of-fav/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS
Fury rises at Disney over use of foreign workers
“At the end of October, IT employees at Walt Disney Parks and Resorts were called, one-by-one, into conference rooms to receive notice of their layoffs. Multiple conference rooms had been set aside for this purpose, and in each room an executive read from a script informing the worker that their last day would be Jan. 30, 2015. Some workers left the rooms crying; others appeared shocked. This went on all day. As each employee received a call to go to a conference room, others in the office looked up sometimes with pained expressions. One IT worker recalls a co-worker mouthing “no” as he walked by on the way to a conference room. What follows is a story of competing narratives about the restructuring of Disney’s global IT operations of its parks and resorts division. But the focus is on the role of H-1B workers. Use of visa workers in a layoff is a public policy issue, particularly for Disney. Disney CEO Bob Iger is one of eight co-chairs of the Partnership for a New American Economy, a leading group advocating for an increase in the H-1B visa cap. Last Friday, this partnership was a sponsor of an H-1B briefing at the U.S. Capitol for congressional staffers. The briefing was closed to the press. One of the briefing documents handed out at the congressional forum made this claim: “H-1B workers complement – instead of displace – U.S. Workers.” It explains that as employers use foreign workers to fill “more technical and low-level jobs, firms are able to expand” and allow U.S. workers “to assume managerial and leadership positions.” The document was obtained by Norman Matloff, a computer science professor at the University of California at Davis and a longtime critic of the H-1B program. He posted it on his blog. Disney says its restructuring wasn’t about displacing workers, but was intended to shift more IT resources to projects involving innovation. That involves hiring many new people to fill new roles. Prior to the reorganization, 28% of Disney’s IT staff were in roles focused on new capabilities; after this reorganization, that figure was 65%, a source at Disney said. “We have restructured our global technology organization to significantly increase our cast member focus on future innovation and new capabilities, and are continuing to work with leading technical firms to maintain our existing systems as needed,” Jacquee Wahler, a Walt Disney World spokesperson, said in a statement. Disney officials did not want to comment about the situation beyond that statement. From the perspective of five laid-off Disney IT workers, all of whom agreed to speak on the condition of anonymity, Disney cut well-paid and longtime staff members, some who had been previously singled out for excellence, as it shifted work to contractors. These contractors used foreign labor, mostly from India. The laid-off workers believe the primary motivation behind Disney’s action was cost-cutting. “Some of these folks were literally flown in the day before to take over the exact same job I was doing,” said one of the IT workers who lost his job. He trained his replacement and is angry over the fact he had to train someone from India “on site, in our country.”…”
http://www.computerworld.com/article/2915904/it-outsourcing/fury-rises-at-disney-over-use-of-foreign-workers.html
Obama rejects request to investigate guest-worker program abuse
“The Obama administration this week rejected a request from Congress to investigate potential abuses in the country’s key guest-worker program for tech workers, insisting it would “be premature” to look into Southern California Edison’s use of the controversial H-1B visa to outsource jobs. A bipartisan group of senators, led by Republican Sen. Jeff Sessions and Democratic Sen. Richard J. Durbin, had asked for a probe after SCE employees testified they were booted from jobs and replaced with guest-workers. Leon Rodriguez, director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services, said his agency takes such allegations seriously — but said there isn’t enough evidence for him to look into SCE right now…”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/29/homeland-security-rejects-investigation-guest-work/
OBAMA ADMINISTRATION HIRES TOP ATTORNEY FOR IMMIGRATION ENFORCEMENT WITH ZERO IMMIGRATION LAW EXPERIENCE
“President Barack Obama’s administration is bringing on a new “Principal Legal Advisor” for Immigration and Customs Enforcement. But she has no experience in immigration law. “I’m very pleased to announce that Gwen Keyes Fleming has been selected to be the new Principal Legal Advisor for ICE,” Department of Homeland Security (DHS) general counsel Stevan E. Bunnell wrote in a letter to ICE field offices obtained by Breitbart News. “She is scheduled to start on June 1st.” Keyes Fleming is currently the chief of staff at the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and has a lengthy legal career. “Gwen is a dynamic and accomplished senior government leader and manager, with experience at both the federal and state levels,” Bunnell wrote. She is currently the Chief of Staff at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), where she works with the EPA Administrator and other senior agency officials to oversee the management of a federal agency with an $8 billion annual budget and more than 15,000 employees. She previously served as the presidentially appointed Regional Administrator for EPA Region 4 (based in Atlanta, Georgia), where she oversaw more than 1,000 employees across various operational and administrative divisions. Gwen also has extensive law enforcement and legal experience, having, among other things, served as the elected District Attorney and, before that, the elected Solicitor General in Decatur, Georgia. In total, Gwen has more than 17 years of experience as a law enforcement lawyer. She is smart, energetic, and has a track record of successfully adapting to new substantive and management challenges. I have no doubt that with her exceptional talents and energy, her law enforcement and legal experience, her fresh perspective, and her proven management skills, she will be an outstanding leader of OPLA and a key member of the OGC team. But after reviewing both her publicly available LinkedIn page and her biography at the EPA, it’s clear that Keyes Fleming—who will now be leading ICE’s legal team when it comes to immigration law enforcement—has no official experience whatsoever in immigration law…”
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/29/obama-administration-hires-top-attorney-for-immigration-enforcement-with-zero-immigration-law-experience/
Young immigrants in Arizona want in-state tuition
“Young immigrants who are protected from deportation under a federal program say they deserve to pay in-state tuition rates at Arizona universities. The Arizona Board of Regents will consider a proposal to reduce tuition to 150 percent of in-state tuition for people in the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program. DACA recipients and other immigrants who lack legal status pay out-of-state rates, which are nearly three times as much as the in-state cost. Voters in 2006 approved Proposition 300, banning students who lack legal immigration status from paying in-state tuition and from receiving any state financial aid regardless of whether they attended an Arizona high school. In-state tuition and fees are more than $10,000 annually. But students in Tucson and Phoenix say the 150 percent rate doesn’t go far enough and many still wouldn’t be able to afford the estimated $15,000 or more annually in tuition and fees. Regents plan to review the proposal at a meeting next week. “One hundred and fifty percent is not attainable. Nobody has that kind of money. It’ll open the doors for some people, but not for the majority,” Dario Andrade Mendoza said Wednesday at a rally in Tucson. A similar rally was held in Phoenix on Tuesday. Andrade Mendoza, who studies part-time at Pima Community College, said he has top grades and wants to transfer to the University of Arizona to get his bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering. The 20-year-old already has an associate degree from the college, but the current price to attend the university – about $30,000 a year – is impossible, he says…”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/30/immigrant-youths-want-in-state-tuition/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS
Hearing held in Nebraska lawsuit over immigrant licenses
“A judge has heard arguments in a lawsuit that three young immigrants brought to the U.S. illegally as children have filed against the state of Nebraska, which refuses to issue them driver’s licenses. Araceli Martinez-Olguin, an American Civil Liberties Union attorney representing the plaintiffs, said Wednesday that the Department of Motor Vehicles has been unlawfully denying licenses to so-called Dreamers – young people spared from deportation and authorized to live and work in the U.S. under a federal program. She said the denials are based on a 2012 news release issued by then-Gov. Dave Heineman two days after President Barack Obama announced implementation of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, the Lincoln Journal Star reported (http://bit.ly/1FAlzNv ). Nebraska is the only state in the nation that denies licenses to youths who qualify for the deferred-action policy. Nebraska is singling out program recipients with its policy, Martinez-Olguin argued before a Lancaster County District judge Wednesday, because it denies driver’s licenses only to those immigrants categorized as Dreamers on federal employment authorization documents. All other immigrants with those documents are issued licenses, she said. But Nebraska Assistant Attorney General Ryan Post defended the practice, saying that while those young immigrants might have a lawful presence, it’s the state’s stance that “they lack lawful status.” Post said the plaintiffs should be taking issue with the federal deferred-action policy, not Nebraska…”
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/apr/30/arguments-made-in-lawsuit-over-immigrant-drivers-l/?utm_source=RSS_Feed&utm_medium=RSS
TWO BORDER TUNNELS DISCOVERED IN CALIFORNIA IN TWO DAYS
“In a span of just two days, U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents have discovered two drug tunnels—one complete and the other in progress—spanning the California-Mexico border. According to a statement from the US Border Patrol provided to the San Diego Union-Tribune, the first tunnel stretched 230 feet from Mexicali to Calexico in southeast California, was about four feet high and four feet wide, and was equipped with lighting and ventilation. The tunnel began in a private Mexicali home, and was discovered by the Border Patrol’s search and rescue team after agents intercepted four men hauling 69 pounds of methamphetamine near the All-American Canal. The 25 vacuum-packed packages of meth were worth $694,000. Three of the men fled, but a Honduran man was apprehended with scuba gear he was using to cross the canal. The second tunnel, 220 yards in length, had lighting, as well as a rail system with a cart, according to ICE spokeswoman Lauren Mack. It also started in a residence on the Mexican side of the border, this one located in Tijuana. It did not have an opening on the US side. Agents found it while examining what they thought was a sinkhole west of the San Ysidro port of entry…”
http://www.breitbart.com/texas/2015/04/30/two-border-tunnels-discovered-in-california-in-two-days/
With Obama’s immigration plans blocked, Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs screens hundreds — and uncovers new options
“Even as President Obama’s immigration programs are held up in a court battle, New Yorkers are getting screened to see if they can apply — and large numbers are learning they might already qualify for other visas and benefits. “That by itself is game-changing, regardless of the lawsuit,” said city Immigrant Affairs Commissioner Nisha Agarwal Thursday as she visited the 13th annual Daily News/CUNY Citizenship NOW! call-in. “Despite the injunction, we want to go forward and help families who think they might be eligible,” she said. About 54% of the nearly 600 people who recently shared their immigration situations at a legal screening hosted by the Mayor’s Office of Immigrant Affairs event learned they will potentially qualify if a court fight ends in the administration’s favor and benefits go forward for undocumented parents of U.S. citizens and a greater number of immigrants who came to this country as kids. More striking, 40% of those screened learned they might be eligible for other types of relief, according to city officials….”
http://www.nydailynews.com/new-york/citizenship-now/immigration-reform-looms-city-screens-hundreds-article-1.2205448
The forgotten cornerstone in the immigration reform debate
“Discussions of immigration reform invariably focus on border security, guest worker programs, deportation or legalization. Rarely, if ever, are the letters “EOIR” – Executive Office for Immigration Review – uttered in this debate. However, the Department of Justice’s EOIR manages the country’s immigration court system and thereby plays a pivotal role in assuring the timely processing of foreign nationals and the security of our nation and its borders. For each case, EOIR judges interpret immigration laws and regulations, determining if foreign nationals are subject to removal from the United States or if relief is warranted. Without addressing shortfalls related to the EOIR structure and process, achieving comprehensive immigration reform will likely encounter great difficulties and perhaps even severely disadvantage the effort from the start. The four most important issues that need to be addressed at EOIR include lengthy processing times, the large number of continuances, calls for greater use of prosecutorial discretion and the severe shortage of immigration judges. To put in perspective the time it take to process a case, consider the 2014 congressional testimony of Juan P. Osuna, the EOIR director who pointed out that the immigration courts had over 350,330 cases pending at the end of fiscal year 2013 – an increase of 23,000 over the previous fiscal year. This trend is continuing. As of February 2015, an estimated 436,370 cases were pending in the immigration courts, according to the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse. On average, these cases required approximately 597 days to adjudicate, a number that fluctuates based on court location. For example, in Los Angeles the average wait time is 778 days compared to 246 days in Charlotte, North Carolina. Frequent continuances – the adjournment of cases until a different day or time – further exacerbate the court’s growing dockets. An analysis of a sampling of 2,000 cases by the Department of Justice’s Office of the Inspector General showed 53 percent had one or more continuances. Each adjournment adds three months to the process, and the averaged delayed case was subject to four continuances, which prolonged it by about a year. Interestingly, the majority of the continuations, or 62 percent, were requested by the foreign national, whereas only 20 percent were initiated by the court and 18 percent were requested by the Department of Homeland Security, sometimes in conjunction with the foreign national…”
http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/civil-rights/240350-the-forgotten-cornerstone-in-the-immigration-reform-debate
EXCLUSIVE — RICHARD VIGUERIE: IMMIGRATION COULD SPARK ‘CIVIL WAR’ WITHIN GOP
“Conservative activist Richard Viguerie says divisions over immigration could spark a “civil war” within the Republican Party, leading frustrated conservatives to abandon the party if the 2016 Presidential nominee is too liberal on this crucial issue. Viguerie began the exclusive interview with Breitbart News by citing one of his main concerns — and pet peeves — regarding immigration. The “root cause of the problem,” he says, is the desperate situations immigrants face in the countries they are leaving. “Has anyone looked beyond our border?” he asked. “At some point you have to do that, but no one seems to be talking about it…no one is looking at the root causes.” As long as people continue to be oppressed and unable to support their families in these “corrupt, socialist countries,” noted Viguerie, America will continue to face an illegal immigration problem. For people to leave their home country, leave behind family members and friends, and face the incredibly dangerous journey, or send off their children alone as happened leading to the border surge last summer, is something no one would do except “out of desperation,” said Viguerie. “It doesn’t matter how high you build the fence…we’re going to have this problem.” Viguerie also said that the current immigration debates focused too much on “amnesty,” at least within the conservative movement. “To me, the most important ‘A’ word is not amnesty; the most important ‘A’ word is assimilation,” he said, because immigrants have not been assimilating into American culture the way previous generations did. People talk about America as the great “melting pot,” explained Viguerie, telling stories with pride about how their parents or grandparents came to this country. Indeed, this type of narrative is a common element for presidential candidates Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) and Sen. Marco Rubio (R-FL), and potential candidate Gov. Bobby Jindal (R-LA), all of whom tell stories about what the opportunities available in America meant for their families when their parents immigrated here…”
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/29/exclusive-richard-viguerie-immigration-could-spark-civil-war-within-gop/
GOP REPS SLAM ‘AMNESTY AMENDMENT’ ADDED TO NDAA
“Rep. Mo Brooks (R-AL) is expressing outrage that the FY 2016 National Defense Authorization Act includes an amendment encouraging the Secretary of Defense to consider allowing illegal immigrants granted executive amnesty to serve in the military. “It makes no sense to me that, at the same time the Army is downsizing and issuing pink slips to American soldiers serving in Afghanistan, there are Congressmen who help illegal aliens deprive American citizens of military service opportunities,” Brooks, who serves on House Armed Services Committee, said. Thursday the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) passed the FY 2016 NDAA. Wednesday the committee approved an amendment to the NDAA offered by Rep. Ruben Gallego (D-AZ) to encourage the Defense Secretary to consider allowing illegal immigrants granted President Obama’s Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program to serve in the military. “By statute, the Secretary can authorize the enlistment of non-citizens when it is ‘vital to the national interest.’ And enabling the best and brightest in our nation to serve in uniform, including DREAMers, is clearly ‘vital to the national interest,’” Gallego explained Wednesday introducing his amendment, according to prepared remarks. Brooks opposed the amendment. “It’s appalling that some members of the Republican conference, and frankly all members of the Democratic conference, place illegal immigrants on pedestals over American citizens, contrary to the needs and wishes of the American people,” he said. The NDAA overall passed out of committee on a vote of 60-2 Thursday…”
http://www.breitbart.com/big-government/2015/04/30/gop-reps-slam-amnesty-amendment-added-to-ndaa/
Koch brothers cater to Latinos, hoping for votes
“For Republicans, the road to warming the hearts and winning the votes of Latinos may begin at a Las Vegas flea market. On a recent morning, inside the Eastern Indoor Swapmeet Las Vegas, a group funded by the billionaire Koch brothers helped 250 Latinos — some of them illegal immigrants — pass the Nevada driver’s test. The LIBRE Initiative, an expanding grass-roots organization now operating in nine states, organized the four-hour test prep session to teach the rules of the road in Spanish — no tome y maneje (no drinking and driving), el límite de velocidad es sesenta y cinco millas por hora (the speed limit is 65 miles per hour). Paula Hernandez, 46, an undocumented restaurant supervisor from Mexico, was one of those sitting on folded chairs, listening. She has worked in the United States for 25 years and gave birth to three children here. She has never heard of the Koch brothers or LIBRE but said the free classes were a “great help,” particularly because nobody else is lending her a hand. “President Obama promised to do more for us, and it just didn’t happen,” she said. To Republicans, that sounds like an opportunity — even though the Koch brothers and their conservative allies spend a great deal of their money supporting Republican candidates who oppose citizenship for illegal immigrants…”
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/conservatives-including-the-koch-brothers-go-after-the-latino-vote/2015/04/30/10732074-101e-4845-936b-77ccd3c45cd2_story.html
Jeb Bush woos Hispanic vote: Give 11 million illegal immigrants chance to remain in U.S.
“Immigrants already in the country illegally should be given a chance to stay, according to Jeb Bush. The former Florida governor of Florida and likely 2016 Republican presidential candidate hopeful told attendees of the National Christian Hispanic Leadership Conference in Houston Wednesday that the 11 million illegal immigrants currently in the U.S. should have an opportunity to stay. “We’re a nation of immigrants,” Bush said. “This is not the time to abandon something that makes us special and unique.” Acknowledging that an immigration makeover is needed, Bush said it is more than moving to strengthening the border, referring to “11 million people that should come out from the shadows and receive earned legal status.” According to Bush, those immigrants should be required to pay taxes, work and not receive government benefits. “This country does not do well when people lurk in the shadows,” Bush said. “This country does spectacularly well when everybody can pursue their God-given abilities.”…”
http://www.washingtonexaminer.com/jeb-bush-woos-hispanic-vote-give-11-million-illegal-immigrants-chance-to-remain-in-u.s./article/2563817?custom_click=rss
Jeb Bush: Give 11 million immigrants chance to stay
http://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/jeb-bush-give-11-million-immigrants-chance-to-stay/2015/04/29/64e8b6b4-eea9-11e4-8050-839e9234b303_story.html
Bush defiant on immigration: ‘I’m right about this’
“A feisty Jeb Bush gave a full-throated defense of his immigration stance in front of a Washington audience on Thursday, laying out the economic case that reforms he champions could return the nation to prosperity. Bush took a swipe at Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker, a likely opponent against Bush for the Republican presidential nomination next year, for saying that he favors limiting legal immigration to the U.S. as a means of preserving jobs in the nation for current citizens. “I don’t think it’s a zero-sum game,” the former Florida goveror said in a question-and-answer session at the National Review Ideas Summit. “I think if we start thinking it’s a zero-sum game, we’ll start playing the game President Obama plays, and it’s just the wrong approach.” Bush argued that immigration reform could bring about an influx of new talent that would keep the U.S. in position to compete with foreign nations that have made gains in technology and other sectors. He warned that failure to reform the immigration system could put the U.S. in the same position as Japan and some European countries with declining populations. “If you want to grow at 4 percent per year instead of 2 percent per year, you need younger, more dynamic people inside of our economy that are productive,” he said. “You can’t do it by a declining population or this pathetic productivity growth.” “America is at our best when we’re young, inspirational and dynamic, and so maybe I’m stubborn,” Bush continued. “I’m willing to listen to other views on this … but I think I’m right about this. If we’re going to grow economically, we need to figure out how to get this fixed.”…”
http://thehill.com/blogs/ballot-box/240726-bush-defiant-on-immigration-im-right-about-this
Jeb Bush to NR: ‘I Just Think You’re Wrong on Immigration’
http://www.nationalreview.com/article/417757/jeb-bush-nr-i-just-think-youre-wrong-immigration-brendan-bordelon
Jeb Bush: Immigration Reform Could Make America ‘Emerging Country Again’
http://www.nbcnews.com/watch/nbc-news/jeb-bush-immigration-reform-could-make-america-emerging-country-again-436502595839
Bush forcefully defends his views on taxes, immigration
http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/post-politics/wp/2015/04/30/bush-forcefully-defends-his-views-on-taxes-immigration/?wprss=rss_politics
Ted Cruz: “There is no stronger advocate for legal immigration in the U.S. Senate than I am”
“Via the Weekly Standard, he’s not saying anything here that he hasn’t said before. He supports immigration reform, but not comprehensive immigration reform — only a piecemeal security-first approach will work, the same view now taken by Marco Rubio. But Cruz fans who haven’t paid attention to him on this issue may assume, incorrectly but understandably, that he naturally takes the most conservative position that an electable Republican presidential candidate can take. Not so: It’s Scott Walker(!) who’s staked out the right side of the field by demanding that American wages be a variable when considering target numbers for legal immigrants, hinting that maybe legal immigration levels need to drop rather than rise. Walker’s defenders argue that he’s not saying anything controversial there; of course you’d want to know how a certain level of immigration will affect what American workers are paid. His break from the rest of the field is a matter of emphasis, not a matter of introducing something new into the debate. Fair enough, but it’s interesting to watch Ted Cruz, Mr. True Conservative, talk about this subject at length and not provide the same emphasis. Watch below from around 44:00 to 50:00 and then again at 1:29:00 to 1:36:00. In 13 or so minutes, wages don’t come up. On the contrary, Cruz’s emphasis is on the fact that he wants more legal immigration, at least among better educated immigrants who might qualify for an H-1B visa. It’s interesting that a guy known for having his finger on the pulse of grassroots conservative/tea party sentiment isn’t following Walker’s lead but rather stressing his own relative moderation on the issue. There are obvious political reasons for that — he’s addressing the Hispanic Chamber of Commerce here, and as one of the few GOP candidates who opposes a path to citizenship, he needs a way to show general-election voters that he’s no Tancredo when it comes to immigration. But it’s telling that he’s not worried about Walker getting to his right on the hottest hot-button of the GOP primaries. Maybe he figures that, between his stellar tea-party track record on all manner of policy plus Walker’s conspicuous flip-flopping on immigration (which still includes support for a path to citizenship), he can afford to place his emphasis on being pro-immigration — so long as it’s legal. Or maybe Cruz suspects that Walker’s wink-wink at reducing legal immigration levels actually isn’t a position that an “electable” Republican can take. He wouldn’t be alone in that belief, if so…”
http://hotair.com/archives/2015/04/30/ted-cruz-there-is-no-stronger-advocate-for-legal-immigration-in-the-u-s-senate-than-i-am/
Walker vs. Cruz on Immigration: The Debate We Need
“There’s been a lot of commentary about the politics of Scott Walker’s observation that the well-being of American workers must be considered when making immigration policy. John Fonte’s fine piece on the home page today puts it in the context of a growing conservative populist movement. One of the benefits of such a movement is that we may finally have the kind of immigration debate our country needs. Though they mean very different things, all politicians say they support border enforcement and oppose amnesty and illegal immigration. Through continual pressure by progressively better-informed voters, we’ve managed to expose the real differences among politicians on the illegal-immigration issue, especially on the core question of whether you support giving illegal liens legal status before or after the enforcement tools needed to prevent a recurrence are fully operational…”
http://www.nationalreview.com/corner/417545/walker-vs-cruz-immigration-debate-we-need-mark-krikorian
SPENDING/BUDGET/ECONOMY:
Boehner downplays spending bill delay
“Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio) expressed confidence that House Republicans later Thursday would pass a GOP budget deal and the first of 12 annual spending bills, despite some last-minute hiccups. Action stalled earlier in the week when Sen. Bob Corker (R-Tenn.) blocked the budget agreement over objections to what he called “gimmicks” in the plan, disrupting House GOP leaders